This is/was mine ...

[bigdjiver]

Many modern devices come with upgradeable software. The device has programmable memory. It should be possible for an area of one-time programmable memory to be allocated for the first owners ID details. If the device is lost/stolen the first owner of it could be identified.

If anybody thinks this is a good idea I suggest that mention it to any manufacturers that they communicate with.

[Dreadful Scathe]

by what mechanism would you stop if being flashed again though ? good enough idea if practical to do, and only really for short life devices

[azande]

My ID details are in too many places already...

[Twirly]

Originally Posted by azande

My ID details are in too many places already...

If the device was stolen, sure you're ID details would be stolen too

[dep]

Mobile phones have a permanent id number that can be used to lock it off, if it gets stolen.
Unfortunately some providers will not use it for it's customers benefit.

Could be applied to any device that accesses the web. Would Freeview be able to shut down a stolen TV/DVB tuner?

But, how could that be applied to dedicated cameras? In the pic chip data that's handed over to the digital processors?

[bigdjiver]

Originally Posted by dep

Mobile phones have a permanent id number that can be used to lock it off, if it gets stolen.
Unfortunately some providers will not use it for it's customers benefit.

Could be applied to any device that accesses the web. Would Freeview be able to shut down a stolen TV/DVB tuner?

But, how could that be applied to dedicated cameras? In the pic chip data that's handed over to the digital processors?

Oops - forgot to include that bit. It is possible to include and hide information in digital pictures. I believe high end laser printers / copiers already do this so that the authorities can trace illegal copies to their source. If a camera device has a serial number inbuilt it would be possible to include that in every digital image it made.


The info could be not usable to the thieves - e.g. a postcode and the last three digits of your phone number.

There exists flashable memory that is one-time programmable. It just needs a small area of that type for this information. If the device has a built-in serial number it is probably using that type of memory.

[Lee Bartholomew]

It's only any good if a device is stolen off it's first owner.

If My details were in a camera that I then sold on ebay, I would not know if it had been stolen from the person who brought it from me, Esp if it was a year or so ago and ebay no longer had the details or it had been sold on 5 times since then. Would the police make that many enquiries for a single camera? Prob not.

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by bigdjiver

If a camera device has a serial number inbuilt it would be possible to include that in every digital image it made.

It is already - make/model/no - just open a picture in a hex editor.

[Barry Shnikov]

I have a better idea.

Take more care of your possessions to start off with. Don't buy anything you expect to carry around with you that you can't afford to lose. etc etc

[bigdjiver]

Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew

It's only any good if a device is stolen off it's first owner.

If My details were in a camera that I then sold on ebay, I would not know if it had been stolen from the person who brought it from me, Esp if it was a year or so ago and ebay no longer had the details or it had been sold on 5 times since then. Would the police make that many enquiries for a single camera? Prob not.

Quite often the police arrest people in posession of multiple camers/laptops/sat-navs and cannot prove any of the stolen. A better way of identifying and tracing stolen goods would reduce the resale value of stolen goods and increase the chance of convictions. Both of these could be expected to increase the risk/reward ratio for thieves and those buying stolen goods. I would hope that would deter some crime.